Needle guard for multiple-needle sewing machines



Feb. 6, 1923.

1,444,633 J. R. MOFF'ATT NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 1'7, 192 0 4 sheets-sheet 1 MIMI Feb. 6, 1923.

1,444,633 J. R. MOFFATT NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINES Filed NOV. 17, 1920 .4 sheets-sheet 2 Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,633

J. R. MOFFATT NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 17, 1920 4 sheet s-sheefi 5 attomwg A I Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,633 J. R. MOFFATT NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 1'7, 1920 4 sheets-sheet 4 Him 4 I, IL

Patented Feb. 6, 1923.

stares rarest tries.

JAMES R. norra'rr, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, essrenon ro UNION srnomr. MACHINE COMPANY, or cnrcaeo, ILLInoIs, a oonroaarron or ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE GUARD FGB, MULTIPLE-NEEDLE SEWING HIACHINES.

Application filed November 17, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. MOFFATT, a citizen of the United States residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle Guards for Multiple-Needle Sewing Machines, of which the following is a description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in needle guards for sewing machines, and more particularly to needle guards for multiple needle abreast sewing machines having a threaded looper cooperating with each needle and disposed so as to move in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as the loopers enter their respective needle loops.

In a copending application Serial No.

424,698 filed of even date herewith by Ralph S. Kelso and myself ointly, there is shown,

described and claimed a needle guard for a multiple needle abreast sewing machine having a threaded looper positioned, and operating as above stated. The needle guards in said application are supported in a manner so as to limit the gage of the machine to which they are applied. An object of the present invention is to provide a needle guard support for a multiple needle abreast sewing machine wherein the distance that the needles are set apart is only limited by the size and lateral movement of the needle guards, which necessarily extends between certain of the needles.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the above character for so porting the needle guards wherein t e Spreaders, if used, and needle guards may be all mounted on a common support so as to simplify the structure of the machine.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:-

Figure 1 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section, of a front portion of a machine having my improvements embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a front por- Serial No. 424,699.

loopers just entering the needle thread,

loops; 1

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail showing one of the needles in side elevation, the needle guard and the looper just previous to the point thereof entering the needle thread loop; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7. l

The invention is directed to a needle guard for a multiple needle sewing machine of the type wherein a plurality of needles are set in a line at right angles to the line of feed and a threaded looper cooperates with each needle, said loopers being supported and positioned so as to move in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed'to the feed as the loopers enter their respective needle thread loops. Also associated with each looper is a spreader which engages the looper thread and holds it away from the body of the looper during the backward movement of the looper so as to insure the needle passing downwardly betwcen'the looper thread and the body of the looper with which it is associated.

The specific details illustrated in the drawings of the above features form nopart of the present invention except in combina tion with the needle guards as these specific features are shown, described and claimed in the aplication filed jointly by Ralph S. Kelso and myself October 17, 1919, Serial No. 331,371. Also in a copending application Serial No. 424,698 filed of even date herewith by Ralph S. Kelso and myself. there is shown, described and claimed along the side of the needle passed by the looper as it moves into the needle loop. Said needle guards are below the loopers and the Spreaders. As shown in said application they are independently mounted on the same carrier which the spreader-s are mounted on. The of the machine, that is the distance the needles are set apart, is limited by reason of this particular mounting of the needle guards. The present invention is directed broadly to the support for a plurality of needle guards in a multiple needle abreast machine which is so constructed as to permit the setting of the needles closer together. The limit of the positioning of the needles close together is determined only by the width of the needle guard and the movement given thereto so far as said needle guaros are concerned.

Referring more in detail. to the drawings. themachine consists of a bed plate 1 having a work support 2 and an overhanging arm 3 on which is mounted a needle bar reciprocated in the usual manner by a needle lever 5. Said needle bar is provided with cross head 6 at its lower end in which is mounted tour needles 7, 8, 9 and 10. Cooperating respectively with these needles beneath the Work support areloopers 11, 12, 13 and 14. Each looper is of the threaded type and the loopers are mounted on'a looper supporting shaft 15. The looper supporting shaft 15 is oscillated for imparting oscille; tions to the loopers .t'or moving the loopers into and out of their respective needle loops. The looper support 15 is moved endwise tor giving a needle avoiding movement to the loopers.

v(associated respectively with the loopers 11, 12, 13 and 1e are sprealers .16, 17., and 19. These spreaders are carried by a spreader support bar 20 which is mounted in suitable bearings and is moved endwise by means of a link 21. The link 21 is connected to one arm of a hell crank 2. This bell crank 22 is provided with an arm 23 which is connected to eccentric strap cooperating; with an eccentric on the main shaft 25. This bell crank 22 through a link 26 imparts endwise movements to the looper support 15. The looper support 15 is oscillated by a link 27 connected crank 28 on the end "of the main shaft These parts, as above noted, are all shown, described and claimed in the joint application above referred to.

The loopers move in a direction substanially parallel with the line of "teeth and also in a. direction opposed to the feed they enter the needle thread loops. The loopers are moved'laterally tor a needle avoidingnovement and during; their nent the Spreaders also more A the opposite direction make con: i he looper threads of the loooers with which he are associated, and hold the looper are cl .pair 01 threads away from the bodies of the loopers tor the entrance of the needles into the loopcr thread loops. The material is fed across the machine in. a direction at right to a line containing the needles 7, 8, 9 an 1.0 by teed 29 carried by a feed bar operated in the usual manner. From the drawings, it will be apparent that the spreaders move in a path above the loopers.

As above noted the invention is directed particularly to the manner of mounting the needle guards. The needle guards for the needles 7, 8, 9 and 10 are respectively inclicatel at 31, 32, and 34. These needle guard as shown in the drawings are mounted on asingle yoke 35. This yoke includes the sleeves 2-36 and 37 t irough which the spreader rod 20 extends, and these sleeves inped to the rod 20 by screws 38. The 8: 3 is pre ided with recesses 39,'one for each needle The needles in the present machine are arranged in pairs and close together and, therefore, one clamping screw 410 is suliicient to hold each associated needle is. The spreader bar mores endwise carr eno'agement with the looper thread in a in nner fully set -forth in the joint application referred to above.

The needle gala-res will also he more totally troin the position shown in l:

o to the position shown in Fig. 6 and when hi'c.. n l t to the posi on shown in Fig. '6 each relative to its respece that the needles will go ard "ly p 1 tlierm'itli to pass the :taces of needles Without striking the needles adj acen th at h is passed by the 1e tor-ward movement of the d guard is formed wit The width of this slot Jail the diameter of the positioned line with 1 e needle, and the purs to permit the tree bowedlethread during the no 1 e needle. In other words, it the side oi? the needle at the eye of the or sli htly above the eye of th o, i by the ncolo guard, the at ot the needle thread would "t ered with. out by forming the slot thread may bow outwardly in hi ten the needle thread loop will he 'ied The slot in the needle W; than the diameter t and gives, therefore. a ce or inissan'ewa g. tor the needle t7 ad slot in the needle guard also rves to the oeole thread loop in a plane ice to the path of movement of the downward movement y the Spreaders into which opens outwardly to of the latter. There is a more or less tendency of the needle thread loop to whipabout the needle, and this is prevented by the slot in the needle guard. It will be understood, of course, that it the needle re mained in its normal vertical line or reciprocation, it would be properly passed by the looper in its forward movement. If it is slightly deflected, however, the guard will position it properly for the looper to pass. Then again, in high speed machines, there is more or less tendency of: the needle to vibrate laterally and the needle guard being close to the path of the needle will prevent such excessive vibration which tend to cause the looper to skip the needle thread loop and the needle to strike the looper in its descent.

While I have shown the needle guards carried by a yoke which is mounted on the same supporting bar for the Spreaders, it will be understood that said yoke may be mounted in other ways, the essential features consisting in the supporting of the needle guards on a yoke in such manner that the needles may be set in positions very close together without being limited by the support for the needle guards. The needle guards and support therefor are below the Spreaders and also below the path of movement 01"? the body portion of the loopers, so that each needle guard will cooperate with its asseelated needle to prevent vibration thereof or deflection and insure the proper positioning oi the needle tor the looper to pass with out striking the needle and the needle to pass the looper without striking the same on its descent The yoke can be readily adjusted endwise on the supporting bar therefor; the needle guards can also be adjusted longitudinally in their supporting slots; the yoke can be swung about the rod 20, and thus the tree ends oi: the needle guards raised and lowered, and by these three adjustments the needle guards may be properly placed to cooperate with the needles. The needle guards extend between the needles and to a point in rear thereof. The holder or yoke 35 extends under the spreaders and is dis posed. in front of the needles and loopers. Said holder or yoke also spans all of the spreader supporting devices.

it is obvious that minor changes in the details 01" construction and the arrangement of parts may be made without departing trom the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1 1. The combination with feeding mecha nism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at rightangles to the line of feed, a looper for each needle. means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel With and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looperas the looper enters its needle thread loop, a supporting yoke 011 which the needleguards are mounted, and means for supporting said yoke.

The combination with feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side or" the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, a supporting yoke on which the needle guards are mounted and means for securing the guards to the supporting yoke whereby said guards may be adjusted independently in an endwise direction, and means for supporting said yoke.

3. The combination with feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, a supporting yoke on which the needle guards are mounted whereby they may be adjusted in an endwise direction, and means for supportingsaid yoke, said supporting means being so constructed that the yoke may be adjusted in a direction at right angles to the line of feed and whereby the portion supporting the needle guards maybe raised and lowered.

l. The combination with feeding mecha nism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader cooperating with each looper, a supporting bar for said Spreaders, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, a yoke on which the needle guards are mounted, and means for mounting said yoke on the supporting bar for said spreaders.

5. The combination with feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the dipassed by rection of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a spreadercooperating with each looper, a supporting bar for said spreaders, a needle guarc for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, a yoke on v-Ihich "the needle guards are mounted whereby they be adjusted in a direction parallel with the direction of feed, means for supporting said yoke on said spreader supporting bar whereby it may be adjusted in a direction at right angles to the line of feed and turn about said supporting bar to and lower the needle guards.

6. The combination with feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of "feed. a

threaded looper foreach needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposedto the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader cooperating with each looper, a supporting device "for each spreader, a supporting bar for said sup porting devices, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, a yoke span ning all oi the spreader supporting devices and mounted on said supporting bar for the Spreaders, and means for adjustably supporting the needle guards on said yoke.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. 4

JAMES R. MOFFATT. 

